Asparagus and Avocado salad

I found this recipe this morning, made it for supper and it was a hit! We ate our bowls clean so fast, I did not get a picture of how I served it - but here is a picture of this delicious salad in the mixing bowl.

I got this recipe from a website called Avocado Recipes. They have a lot of great looking recipes on there - but no pictures! Here is the recipe for your convenience - but please check out the site by clicking here.

Ingredients:

2 pounds fresh asparagus, ends trimmed
2 medium avocados, peeled, pitted, diced
1 lemon, juiced
1 teaspoon grated lemon zest
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 tablespoon white wine vinegar
1 teaspoon balsamic vinegar
1 teaspoon sugar
Salt and black pepper, to taste
2 tablespoons minced fresh parsley
1 tablespoon minced fresh cilantro
1 teaspoon minced fresh mint

Directions:

1) Bring a medium pot of water to a boil; add asparagus and cook until color just turns bright green, about 2 minutes. Rinse quickly under cold water, drain, and set aside.

2) Combine avocados and lemon juice in a medium bowl. Add reserved asparagus and zest; toss gently.

3) In a small bowl, whisk together oil, vinegars, sugar, salt, and pepper. Stir in parsley, cilantro, and mint. Pour dressing over avocado mixture; toss gently and serve.

This asparagus was perfect, I never knew how to make asparagus properly, so this recipe really is a winner for me!

If you make it, let me know how you like it.

Cheers,

Carolyn

Library inspiration - and sushi?

I love the library, love walking around the stacks and finding treasures I would normally not look at in the book store - I do not go into book stores so I guess I wouldn't see anything there! 
I found this book the other day about embroidering beetles, and did you know that they used to and in some countries still do, fabric embellishment with actual beetles! They take the hard shell from their backs and they are so tough, you have to use sharp snips to cut them. 
I have no interest in collecting bug parts, but the embroidery section was really interesting. Here are some pics to help inspire you to.

 Then I found some inspiration in my sushi. This mushroom fell out - I thought it looked super neat.

What inspires you?
Cheers,
Carolyn

Orange You Glad block for March

Here is the block I made for Margaret who has March for the bee group Orange You Glad - I loved making this. She did a tutorial on her blog if you want to check it out - click here.

Isn't it fabulous?
I hope to make a few blocks like this for myself.
Cheers,
Carolyn

Little privacy please

We wanted to keep renovating, have the light come in the windows - but not have all the people walking and driving past watch the progress. I had purchased this handy roll of frosted mac tac for the bathroom window that faced our neighbours kitchen window (awkward!) and it worked great there. 

 We covered the huge living room and the spare room window and it works great - total privacy, but it is so bright and lovely.

That glow is from the living room window that I covered with the frosted mac tac - pretty impressive huh? Oh and what do you think of my fancy red light? 
Cheers,
Carolyn

Gut, Gut, Gut

I have not been a very good blogger. Here is what we have been up to - ripping out old plaster and wood chips!

The only room still standing is the master bedroom. Its amazing how much dirt is in your walls - especially in a house built in 1948.
Cheers,
Carolyn

Lucky Lu!

Lucky Lu is once more a lucky little boy. A little bit ago, he started having a really hard time breathing. Our vet thought it was Laryngeal Paralysis, and referred him to a specialist. Because he had moments of breathing normally, the specialist could not say for certain what the issue was. We ended up having to put Lucky under and have them go in with a special scope to see what was going on in there. They found a large mass that was restricting his breathing to what they described as a pin hole. 
Lucky for Lucky, they were able to remove this mass. 
The test results have come back and the mass is not cancer so Lucky Lu gets to keep being lucky!!

Lu's first day home from surgery

About 4 days after

Today - 12 days after surgery. Hyper crazy just like normal!

Look at me! I feel great!

Cheers,
Carolyn

I Won tickets to see the Black Keys!!!

I can not believe my luck - remember I said that the year of 34 years of age for me was my year. Well, it is almost over but to make it end as good as it started (I got the job I wanted a couple of months after my b-day), I won tickets to see the Black Keys - who I love! We saw them last year, in fact, I already bought tickets to see them for this concert. 
I won them from American Express, I just got my card from them in my 34 years of age as well!

34, its a magic number, how sad that in a couple more months it will be over. 
Do you guys know and love the Black Keys?
Have a click on the You Tube play button above and ENJOY!
Cheers,
Carolyn